’65_RedRoses’ Event, Tracing Life of Woman with CF, Will Support Transplant Research in Canada

A 10th anniversary screening of the documentary “65_RedRoses” will take place on Sunday, Sept. 8, at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre to raise funds for the Transplant Research Foundation of British Columbia (TRFBC).

“65_RedRoses” is an award-winning documentary that was directed by Nimisha Mukerji and Philip Lyall. It follows Eva Markvoort, who at the time was a 23-year-old with cystic fibrosis (CF) living in Vancouver, as she dealt with the disease and awaited a lung transplant.

Its title was taken from the name of Eva’s blog, where she wrote about her experiences for a web community of thousands. Eva died in 2010 at the age of 25.

The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2009; since then, it has been screened around the world and garnered numerous awards. It was also featured in Oprah’s Documentary Club in 2010.

“’65_RedRoses’ has become a powerful voice for the transplant community in sharing the joys, hopes and often unseen struggles and challenges of the transplant journey,” Kristi Coldwell, senior advisor for transplant advocacy at the TRFBC, said in a press release.

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“The film has left an indelible mark on our transplant community and [led] to a greater awareness and appreciation of what encompasses transplantation. Organ donation is an incredible gift that offers people living with end-stage organ failure a future, but while transplantation saves lives, it is not a cure. Eva’s story offers an honest and brave first-hand account of this reality,” Coldwell added.

Jonathan Thau, the event lead at Lawn Summer Nights, an organization that has raised millions for CF research, added: “It is clear that Eva Markvoort’s message of love and resiliency continues to resonate through Vancouver’s CF community. Ten years later, the film continues to give back in ways that extend beyond funding into giving life, hope, and a community for those suffering from this disease.”

The anniversary screening will feature speakers, including Eva’s surgeon, John Yee, as well as a “special musical guest” who was not named. All proceeds from the event will go to the TRFBC to support transplant research.

More information about the event can be found at www.65RedRoses.com; tickets can also be purchased on this website.

The documentary and the #4Eva art campaign have inspired a national initiative supporting organ donation and CF awareness, and have helped to triple the donor rate reported in British Columbia.